Red Dog Forest Thinning Project from Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows on Vimeo.

If you happen to be in Squaw Valley this past November there is a good chance you heard the chainsaws, or saw the helicopter landing massive trees in the Squaw Valley parking lot. What was going on exactly? It was the Red Dog Forest Thinning Project where more than 5,000 dead or diseased trees were removed from the Red Dog area of the lower mountain in an effort to improve the natural habitat, reduce the risk of wildfire, and provide unprecedented access to tree skiing and riding in the area.

This winter when the lower mountain opens up, we’ll finally be able to check it out. Skiers and riders can now expect almost 100 acres of enhanced skiable terrain with three new designated glade areas; the Red Dog Glades, Paris Glades, and Heidi’s Glades. There is also a new connector trail on Champs Elysees so you can forget about that lengthy traverse.

Now you can check out some behind the scenes footage of the work in progress and get the facts from the man behind the project.